Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-04-30
WESTERN LIFE.
A Sketch of a True Incident.
By AID H. GIBSON.

@By the powersl he's got ter git from
these ere diggin's, boys, and Big Dan,
burly miner of Jim Ned Guleh brought his
horny fist down with tremendous force
upon the rude pine table in the Sleeping
Tiger, a large, two-rOOmed building that
served as saloon and gambling rendezvous
for the motley, masculine part Of the pop
ulation Of the Gulch.
A variegated crowd of rough men, old,
young, and middls-agsd, such as are to be
met with in a mining camp Of the West,
were gathered in the Sleeping Tiger.
These men had been discussing the case of
Philip Rhodes. who had appeared in Jim
Ned Gulch four weeks before. No one
seemed to know much about Rhodes, more
than he had come from Denver and
brought with him his daughter, q lovely
girl Of seventeen. He occupied deserted
cabin embowered in cedars on the side Of
= mountain, a half mile down the wild
gulch- OF the mans private life, the
miners had a very limited degree Of
knowledge; but, somehow 1t became cur
rently reported that the beautiful daughter
had the utmost affection for her parent,
gambler though he was.
Rhodes always dressed elegantly, and
with liberal display Of iewelry. He was
handsome, and his speech and deport-
ment betrayed no stinted amount Of former
culture.
In the four weeks that the polished gam
bier had mingled with the rude Jim Ned
ders over the gaming table Of the Sleep
ing Tiger, he had literally raked In the
gold Of those honest but rough miners.
The miners had distrusted Rhodes from
the first, but having nothing but their own
suspicious to 60 on, they made no public
charge against him
At length some who had lest heavily
while playing with the elegant Denverite,
went to Big Dan and made complaint.
Big Dan was the oldest miner In Jim Ned
Guleh, kind-hearted If rough and always
the friend Of the downtroddsn. His skill
at cards, his keenness at ferreting out any
dishonesty connected herewith. were pro-
verbal. So Big Dan had challenged
Rhodes to play game 20 which he had
readily aeceded. The result, as may be
imagined, was that the miner had detected
Rhodes in cheating all through the game.
Big Dan took no pains to conceal from the
Denver gambler that his tricks were no
longer secrets, but clearly discovered.
Rhodes face had turned deathly pale at
Big Dams accusation. but without return
ing a single word, still displaying consid-
cradle excitement, the guilty man left the
saloon and went Immediately to his noun
tain cabin.
In miners blunt, straightforward fash
ion, Big Dan had made his discovery
known. and had convened "the boys Of
Jim Ned" at the Sleeping Tiger the next
afternoon to discuss the fate OF the cheat
ing gambler.
@He's got to vamooss Jim Ned Guleh,
boys" pursued Big Dan
@Let the DANCED cuss swingl" yelled one
sanguinary miner who had been prey to
the dishonesty Of the genteei Rhodes.
aYesi give the damned scamp necktie
party on the lone elm down Jim Ned, 4"
urged another loser.
"Slencei" reared the stentorian voice Of
Big Dan, glazing upon the crowd Of eager,
excited. hard faces before him; and his
powerfully magnetic dark eyes had soon
restored the subdued excitement of a few
moments before.
Taking advantage OF the general calm,
Big Dan mounted on q rustic oak bench
and addressed the convention as follows:
aFeller Jim Nedders, hear me. Don't
let me hear a blamed one Of ye mention
the neektis biz agin. Cause why2 Thar's
the purity gal what's got no mother an
must be respected. Swingin' her dad I'D
kill her. He's none too good fur crows
meat, know; but she's got ter hAv her
fseIin's spared all We kin. The eheatin'
cuss has jes got ter git mp an git, that's
ALI But We mustn't do nuthin' to make q
suffer, boys. Let him keep the gold;
maybe itn help the gal out some when
they git In q pinch But he cant stay
down the gulch an pick the marrer outen
my pOczet-book, nor my Teller Jim
Nsdders nary day longer. heV spake,
and Big Dan removed his eorpulent person
from the bench, by descending to level
with his companions
EYER right-sids up on the biz. Dan, said
one Of the miners, slapping the speaker on
his massive shoulder. @Out O. respect fuI
the gal, We mustn't take no violent
measures agin the euss.S
@NoV yer eacklin' jes about the right
ehume, boys " put in Dilsey, the saloon
keeper.
sHe ken bless the gal fur pu'servin' hi.
cussed bacon" exclaimed the fellow who
had proposed the ~necktie party" a short
time before.
who'll We appint to 60 down the guleh
to the mounting cabin an oliver the
Vaikin' papers to the tricky devil7" asked
Big Dan.
@Ebsn Goodnerl@ came the hearty, uni
veraAl vote, and each man turned as be
uttered that name. and looked at young
man. Who leaning against the side Of The
saloon-door, had been silent but atten-
tive hstnsr to all that had been said.
Eben GOOdnsr was Big Dams partner
but By no means = TYPICAL miner. EbeI
was q young man Of ak and twenty. oi
medium height and weight. with dark hail
and eyes, and a thick mustaohe Of the sams
color uhading kind mouth
Hs was quitu handsome despite The stamp
recsut ulness showing % face aud dsuro.
Co this, his clo-aes adTszlllsd ia